Installing air conditioning in 356 / 36

Hello,
We're considering installing air conditioning in our 356 in preparation for a future cruise to Mexico. I was wondering if anyone had pictures of the factory install to help as a guide. I see some of the ductwork left by the factory, but wondering how it goes through the lockers, where the compressor is mounted, etc.

Unit factory installed was made by MarineAirr now owned by domestic and is 16,000 BTUH water tonair heat pump.
Unit is located under the aft saloon seat with blower end toward starboard. This is just forward of the wall separating the kitchen cabinet and dining area. Flex duct is routed under saloon seat that parallels hull to starboard locker in Vberth area and then vertically to T that connects grill in bulkhead that distributes air to the saloon back toward the stern and to the Vberth through a small rotating nozzle diffuser facing forward.
Back at blower, T off to the master cabin behind refrigerator/freezer and range to starboard toward locker in master cabin. Route duct vertical up in locker and install a rotating bezel diffuser in the stern wall of the locker.
Cut a hole in the bottom of the bulkhead separating the under seat compartment where you locate the unit facing forward and install a return air grill and filter.
Just aft of the galley and to starboard is a removeable hatch with a plastic insert. The pump for condenser water is located just forward of that compartment and has it’s thru hull located in conjunction with all just at the bottom of the companionway. The discharge condenser water is located in the starboard hull above the waterline 12 to 18 inches.

Thank you Jerry for the detailed write-up and pictures. Very helpful!! My boat without AC has a board in place where the compressor is, it looks like the Dometic unit is sized to fit perfectly where that board is. The good news is that it seems their new ECD series shares the same dimensions.

If possible, could you take a picture of the vent routing in the aft and forward lockers?

I’ll be glad to. I’ll be on the boat in the next few days and will post them. One thing you should do is run your condensing pan drain over to the shower sump pump st the base of the companionway stair and with the thrust hulls. The standard drain is into the bilge.

I have a wet bilge all the time Nick. Only time it is dry is when I vacume it out and it only stays that way a few days. I don’t know where mine gets water from. My bilge pump leaves a couple of inches in it from the water in the hose that never gets out.

Here are the photos I promised. The front duct rises behind the locker (there is a real plywood panel at the back of the starboard front locker in the vberth. It terminates at the top compartment into a plastic plenum with a (looks like) 3 inch duct exiting forward to a round rotainting diffuser in the Vberth. The plenum has a a rectangular diffuser shooting aft over the starboard settee.

The locker to starboard in the rear berth enters through the bottom of the locker and exits facing aft, about 6 inches below the CO detector, with a rotating bezel diffuser. I didn’t measure the diameter but it is the same size (guess is 3 inch) as the Vberth diffuser with the same diffuser.

See photos below. First ones are in the rear berth, last are in Vberth. Hope this clears it up for you. If you need more info, pm me.